'Like the moon on the tides'

 

“Language exerts hidden power, like the moon on the tides.” – Rita Mae Brown

 

Born in Hanover, PA in November of 1944, Brown has excelled in every type of writing she’s attempted, ranging from screenplays to television scripting to novels and poetry.  The author of the multiple award-winning Rubyfruit Jungle, she has written a remarkable 72 books and 9 screenplays.  Most of her titles are in the “Mrs. Murphy Mysteries” and “Sister Mysteries" series.   Her most recent best-selling additions to the two series (both out this year) are Sealed With A Hiss and Fox and Furious, respectively.

 

Raised first in an orphanage and then by her aunt and uncle, Brown’s first attempt at writing – a screenplay – was made into a television special, I Love Liberty, earning her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing in a Musical or Variety.  She followed that with a screenplay parody of “slasher” movies called The Slumber Party Massacre, a film that not only appeared on TV but also in limited release and spawned two sequels and a cult following that continues to this day.

 

Inspired by those writing successes, she then wrote Rubyfruit Jungle in 1973, the first of her 66 (and counting) novels.

 

Every time she thinks about easing up, a deadline from her publisher seems to loom. "A deadline is just negative inspiration," she said.  "Still, it's better than no inspiration at all."